Two wanted in shootings now in custody

Published: Saturday, November 24, 2012 at 5:38 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, November 24, 2012 at 5:38 p.m.

Two men wanted in connection with the shooting of two other men at an Ocala residence earlier this month are now in custody, according to officials.

Kina Kewan Mathis turned himself in to the Marion County Jail at 12:15 a.m. Saturday, where he was booked into the facility after his warrant was confirmed by officials.

Meantime, another suspect in the shootings, Willie Eugene Lake III, was captured Saturday afternoon around 3:45 p.m. and booked into the Marion County Jail at around 6 p.m. Lake’s first appearance is scheduled for Sunday morning.

Before his first appearance in front of Judge Jack Singbush on Saturday afternoon, Mathis declined an interview request from a Star-Banner reporter.

At Mathis’ first appearance, Assistant State Attorney Jeremy Powers asked the judge if he could deny bond for the 35-year-old man due to his “extensive criminal history.” Bond was denied.

Mathis told the judge he has hired Christopher Dunham as his attorney. He also told the judge that Dunham knows he’s at the jail.

Mathis’ next court date is Dec. 26 at 9 a.m.

State records show Mathis has been incarcerated three times for various crimes, including robbery with a deadly weapon. He was released from prison in March 2008.

Ocala Police Department detectives said around 12:40 p.m. on Nov. 7, they received a call about multiple shots being fired and several vehicles leaving 1224 SW Second St.

On scene, detectives found a red four-door 2010 Ford Fusion parked on the front lawn with gunfire damage to its passenger side. Detectives noted there were fresh tire tracks on the passenger side of the Ford.

The front window at the residence was also damaged by gunfire.

Checking to see if anyone was inside the home, officers entered and found what was described as a cache of high-caliber firearms. The home was later determined to be unoccupied.

Detectives recovered multiple shell casings outside the vacant home, as well as outside another empty residence located directly across the street.

A .38-caliber revolver was found in the middle of the roadway in the 1700 block of Southwest Second Street by someone, who turned it in to police.

While investigating the shooting, detectives received a call from Marion County sheriff’s deputies stating they went to a business located in the 2000 block of Southwest County Road 484 and found two men who had been shot multiple times.

One of the victims, Terry Owens, 24, told sheriff’s detectives their cousin had dropped them off at the location and they came to Ocala from Sanford to meet a woman. Meeting the woman at the location of the incident, Owens said a red Ford, along with a black Chrysler, pulled up and men exited the vehicles and began firing shots them.

Also shot was Shawn McCray, 30, Owens’ cousin.

The wounded men were then transported to a hospital.

The Nissan that the victims were traveling in was recovered abandoned in Orange County and transported to OPD for processing. The vehicle was riddled with gunshots and had a large amount of blood inside.

From his investigation, Detective Miguel Gauthier developed Mathis and Lake, also a convicted felon, as suspects.

The men were later picked from separate photo lineups as the men who shot at the victims.

Owens later told Gauthier they met the woman on Facebook and went to the incident location, where they parked on the lawn. He said the red Ford parked next to them and Mathis exited the vehicle and went into the home.

While there, he said a black Chrysler 300 backed into a vacant lot directly in front of the incident location.

Owens said his cousin, McCray, exited their vehicle and went to the front door. Not getting an answer. Owens said he also exited the vehicle when McCray turned to leave. Then, he said, Mathis exited the home and exchanged words with his cousin.

Mathis, Owens said, then shot his cousin. Owens said he heard gunshots behind him and turning around, saw Lake firing in his direction, hitting him.

<p>Two men wanted in connection with the shooting of two other men at an Ocala residence earlier this month are now in custody, according to officials.</p><p>Kina Kewan Mathis turned himself in to the Marion County Jail at 12:15 a.m. Saturday, where he was booked into the facility after his warrant was confirmed by officials.</p><p>Meantime, another suspect in the shootings, Willie Eugene Lake III, was captured Saturday afternoon around 3:45 p.m. and booked into the Marion County Jail at around 6 p.m. Lake's first appearance is scheduled for Sunday morning.</p><p>Before his first appearance in front of Judge Jack Singbush on Saturday afternoon, Mathis declined an interview request from a Star-Banner reporter.</p><p>At Mathis' first appearance, Assistant State Attorney Jeremy Powers asked the judge if he could deny bond for the 35-year-old man due to his “extensive criminal history.” Bond was denied.</p><p>Mathis told the judge he has hired Christopher Dunham as his attorney. He also told the judge that Dunham knows he's at the jail.</p><p>Mathis' next court date is Dec. 26 at 9 a.m.</p><p>State records show Mathis has been incarcerated three times for various crimes, including robbery with a deadly weapon. He was released from prison in March 2008.</p><p>Ocala Police Department detectives said around 12:40 p.m. on Nov. 7, they received a call about multiple shots being fired and several vehicles leaving 1224 SW Second St.</p><p>On scene, detectives found a red four-door 2010 Ford Fusion parked on the front lawn with gunfire damage to its passenger side. Detectives noted there were fresh tire tracks on the passenger side of the Ford.</p><p>The front window at the residence was also damaged by gunfire.</p><p>Checking to see if anyone was inside the home, officers entered and found what was described as a cache of high-caliber firearms. The home was later determined to be unoccupied.</p><p>Detectives recovered multiple shell casings outside the vacant home, as well as outside another empty residence located directly across the street.</p><p>A .38-caliber revolver was found in the middle of the roadway in the 1700 block of Southwest Second Street by someone, who turned it in to police.</p><p>While investigating the shooting, detectives received a call from Marion County sheriff's deputies stating they went to a business located in the 2000 block of Southwest County Road 484 and found two men who had been shot multiple times.</p><p>One of the victims, Terry Owens, 24, told sheriff's detectives their cousin had dropped them off at the location and they came to Ocala from Sanford to meet a woman. Meeting the woman at the location of the incident, Owens said a red Ford, along with a black Chrysler, pulled up and men exited the vehicles and began firing shots them.</p><p>Also shot was Shawn McCray, 30, Owens' cousin.</p><p>The wounded men were then transported to a hospital.</p><p>The Nissan that the victims were traveling in was recovered abandoned in Orange County and transported to OPD for processing. The vehicle was riddled with gunshots and had a large amount of blood inside.</p><p>From his investigation, Detective Miguel Gauthier developed Mathis and Lake, also a convicted felon, as suspects.</p><p>The men were later picked from separate photo lineups as the men who shot at the victims.</p><p>Owens later told Gauthier they met the woman on Facebook and went to the incident location, where they parked on the lawn. He said the red Ford parked next to them and Mathis exited the vehicle and went into the home.</p><p>While there, he said a black Chrysler 300 backed into a vacant lot directly in front of the incident location.</p><p>Owens said his cousin, McCray, exited their vehicle and went to the front door. Not getting an answer. Owens said he also exited the vehicle when McCray turned to leave. Then, he said, Mathis exited the home and exchanged words with his cousin.</p><p>Mathis, Owens said, then shot his cousin. Owens said he heard gunshots behind him and turning around, saw Lake firing in his direction, hitting him.</p>